The human body is approximately 50 to 60 percent water, according to the Discovery Channel. If we aren’t vigilant about regularly replenishing these fluids, our health suffers. You’ve probably heard it said that you should drink about half your weight in water a day.
That’s not inaccurate. According to The Mayo Clinic, men should, on average, drink 16 cups of fluids daily, while women should drink about 12 cups, though it notes that about 20 percent of this hydration often comes from food. There are multiple other factors that can influence this number, as well, including exercise, environment, and overall health.
Generally, though, the more water you drink, the happier, healthier, and more focused you’ll be.
Unfortunately, especially in the modern workplace, proper hydration takes a backseat to our day-to-day workload.
It’s almost ironic, given the critical role hydration plays in cognitive function and by association productivity. Aside from general fatigue, a lack of proper hydration can cause a host of other issues, including headaches, loss of focus, and irritability. Yet for some reason, our productivity-obsessed office culture has thrown water to the wayside.
Nearly every office contains a coffee machine, singing a siren song of readily-available, temporary energy. The problem is that caffeine, aside from being highly addictive, is also a diuretic. In simple terms, this means it causes your kidneys to flush extra sodium and water from the body.
In other words, it makes you thirsty.
As noted by the Baylor College of Medicine, by the time your body has started telling you it’s thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. You’re already dealing with the ill effects of not having enough fluids. We’re going to discuss a few things you can do to avoid this thirst.
A few things you can do to stay hydrated in the workplace, whether at the office or at home.
Invest in a Large Water Bottle
The simplest way to top yourself up is to keep a water bottle at your desk, as large as you can find. Fill it up with ice at the beginning of each day, then add a bit of water to it. Assuming it’s properly insulated, this will keep it cold more or less throughout the day, while also providing you with a ready source of hydration that doesn’t require you to get up from your desk.
Alternatively, you might take advantage of office appliances like ice machines or water coolers, write notes on your water bottle so you know when to drink it by, or log your consumption in an app.
Look at what You Eat
As we mentioned earlier, at least 20 percent of your daily fluid intake tends to come from food. You can actually increase this by a great deal simply by paying attention to what you eat. Foods with high water content such as melon, cucumbers, or leafy greens are all excellent options here.
As an added bonus, they’re easily obtainable and have a reasonable shelf life, both refrigerated and unrefrigerated.
Spice up Your Drinks
Some people find water on its own to be dull, tasteless, or unappealing. If you’re among them, consider adding a bit of extra zest to your water with a citrus infusion. You might also consider investing in a sparkling water machine, or simply add a bit of chopped up citrus fruit or some cucumber and mint to your water pitcher in the fridge.
Get creative, and you might be surprised at how good your water can taste.
How Employers Can Help
If you’re an employer, you can help with this too. First, don’t limit bathroom breaks or micromanage how much time employees spend away from their desks. The increased productivity you’ll see from properly-hydrated staff more than makes up for the time spent in the washroom.
You may also consider offering healthy snacks and making sure water coolers and machines are readily accessible to staff throughout your workplace.
The importance of proper hydration cannot be understated. Without water, our bodies and minds begin to suffer. Since a cognitive function is essential for both productivity and well-being, employer and employee alike have a vested interest in ensuring everyone gets exactly as much water as they need.